Ansel Frederick Kills Thomas Hatfield, Lincoln, 1879

Previously:

Click here for a list of my other Pulaski/Rockcastle/Laurel County KY articles

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[November 21, 1879] -

MALICIOUS WOUNDING. -- Gillis Frederick, charged with maliciously shooting Thomas Hatfield, six miles South of Crab Orchard, was lodged in jail here on Wednesday night. Hatfield is painfully tho' not necessarily fatally wounded. Ansil Frederick, charged with being an accessory, has not been apprehended. [1]

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[November 28, 1879] -

ASSASSINATED. -- Thomas Hatfield, who was waylaid and shot by Gillis Frederick, near Crab Orchard, about ten days ago, died Saturday night from the effects of his wounds. He is spoken of as having been a very poor and inoffensive man, with a very dependent family to support. Frederick, as already reported, was lodged in jail here last week, but his brother, who was an accomplice, is still at large. [2]

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[December 5, 1879] -

A BAD CASE. -- Gillis Frederick who was lodged in jail here about ten days ago, charged with being an accomplice of his brother in the murder of Thomas Hatfield, was taken to Crab Orchard, Saturday, where he had an examining trial. The facts were dead against him, and he was held in $1,000 bail. He could not give $50 to save his life, so he was remanded to prison. His brother, Ansel Frederick, has not been captured yet, but a reward about to be issued for him will no doubt bring him to time. [3]

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[December 18, 1879] -

STANFORD, KY.

A Proclamation That Brought in a Fugitive -- Circuit Court, etc.

(Special to the Courier-Journal.)

STANFORD, Dec. 17. -- A posse of men arrived here yesterday from Clay county, having in charge Anderson Frederick, whom they had arrested in that county under a proclamation of the Governor of Kentucky, offering a reward of $200 for Frederick's apprehension and delivery to the jailor of Lincoln county. He is accused of the murder of Thomas Hatfield, who was killed some four weeks ago upon the highway, six miles south of Crab Orchard, since which time Frederick has been a fugitive from justice. His trial is fixed for next Saturday. His brother, Gillis Frederick, was tried upon the same charge several weeks ago and is now in jail in default of $1,000 bail. [4]

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[December 19, 1879] -

FREDERICK CAPTURED. -- Wm. McDaniel, Speed Bryant and T. S. Wilson, of Knox County, arrived here Tuesday with Ansel Frederick, the man who is charged with waylaying and murdering Thos. Hatfield, in November last, near Crab Orchard. They captured him in Clay County, at his uncle's, where he was at work, and when told why he was wanted, he quietly submitted to the inevitable. A reward of $200 had been offered for him by the Governor, which his captors will get. [5]

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[December 26, 1879] -

Nov. 13, Thomas Hatfield waylaid and murdered by Ansil and Gillis Frederick. [6]

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[January 23, 1880] -

There are now but three prisoners confined here [Stanford], Cain for the murder of Hiram Tucker, and the two Fredericks for killing Thomas Hatfield. [7]

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[January 30, 1880] -

Whispering is not allowed in company, but we are compelled to say in the ear of the Frankfort Yeoman, that it is doing itself injustice by continuing to publish the proclamation offering a reward for Ansil Frederick, six weeks after he has been lodged in jail here. [8]

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[May 7, 1880] -

A SPECIAL TERM -- Of the Circuit Court is set for the 3d Monday in June for the trial of Ansil and Gillis Frederick for the murder of Thomas Hatfield. [9]




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[July 23, 1880] -

CIRCUIT COURT. -- The summer term of this Court will convene next Monday with 53 Commonwealth cases on the docket. Four of them are for murder: Ansel and Gillis Frederick for the murder of Thomas Hatfield, Ben Ferrell for the murder of Ely, and Boone Conn for the murder of Morgan. With these exceptions the cases are mostly minor offenses. [10]

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[October 29, 1880] -

No case of much importance has been tried yet owing to the absence of witnesses and other causes. The case of Ben Ferrill, for murder, was set for the 9th day, and A. and G. Frederick, charged with a like crime, for the 13th day. [11]

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[November 12, 1880] -

The next Commonwealth's case was against Ansel and Gillis Frederick, for murder. It had been set for Monday and both sides being ready, it was begun promptly. The proof was that about a year ago Ansel Frederick, who had been threatened by T. Smith, borrowed a pistol to defend himself while wagoning in his neighborhood. After dark one night he met a man that he supposed was Smith, and, being a timid man, fired on him before he ascertained that it was not he. The shot was fatal, and after some time both the Fredericks were arrested, and have both been in jail since. There being no evidence that there was any enmity between the two men, the Jury thought it was well enough to make him more particular in the future, and gave Ansel a term of three years in the Penitentiary. Gillis was discharged. They were unable to employe legal aid, so the Court appointed Col. W. G. Welch, George Davidson, R. J. Breckinridge, Jr., D. R. Cargenter, P. B. McRoberts, W. E. Varnon and T. P. Hill, Jr., and Mr. Frederick may thank that brilliant array of talent for his neck. [12]

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[1] Excerpt from "Local Matters." The Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. November 21, 1879. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84038328/1879-11-21/ed-1/seq-3/

[2] Excerpt from "Local Matters." The Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. November 28, 1879. Page 3. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84038328/1879-11-28/ed-1/seq-3/

[3] Excerpt from "Local Matters." The Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. December 5, 1879. Page 3. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84038328/1879-12-05/ed-1/seq-3/

[4] Excerpt from "Stanford, Ky." The Courier Journal, Louisville, KY. December 18, 1879. Page 4. Newspapers.com.

[5] Excerpt from "Local Matters." The Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. December 19, 1879. Page 3. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84038328/1879-12-19/ed-1/seq-3/

[6] Excerpt from "Local Matters." The Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. December 26, 1879. Page 7. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84038328/1879-12-26/ed-1/seq-7/

[7] Excerpt from "Local Matters." The Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. January 23, 1880. Page 3. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84038328/1880-01-23/ed-1/seq-3/

[8] Excerpt from Column 2. The Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. January 30, 1880. Page 2. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84038328/1880-01-30/ed-1/seq-2/

[9] Excerpt from "Local Matters." The Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. May 7, 1880. Page 3. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84038328/1880-05-07/ed-1/seq-3/

[10] Excerpt from "Local Matters." The Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. July 23, 1880. Page 3. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84038328/1880-07-23/ed-1/seq-3/

[11] Excerpt from "Local Matters." The Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. October 29, 1880. Page 3. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84038328/1880-10-29/ed-1/seq-3/

[12] Excerpt from "Local Matters." The Interior Journal, Stanford, KY. November 12, 1880. Page 3. LOC. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84038328/1880-11-12/ed-1/seq-3/

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